2006 Canalicchio Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscan Red, Italy.
Now this is BRUNELLO, and wow is this good, Canalicchio really fashioned a fantastic wine from a great vintage that has everything you’d ever want from Sangiovese in spades. While all the talk is about the new 2007 Brunello di Montalcino(s) that are just now reaching the market, some wonderful 2006 are sneaking in under the radar like this Tre Bicchieri winner from one of the great vintages. I thought Canalicchio’s 2001 and 2004 wines were super, but they seemed to have a bit of rustic hard edges not found in this 2006, this Brunello is seamless and rewarding to drink and shows wonderful focus and depth. The nose lights up with dried flowers, sweet herbs, blonde tobacco and wild strawberry essence before a rich and lively palate of red currants, plums and black cherries with licorice, mineral notes and cedary spices. Dark black fruits emerge with air and weight, but fine tannins keep things firmly in check and balanced acidity makes everything vivid and lifts the energy. This Tuscan red has plenty of years ahead of it, even though it would be a tough task to not drink it sooner rather than later.
($75 Est.) 95 Points, grapelive
